Sweden's ruling Social Democrats launched their election manifesto on Tuesday (28 August) promising an extra week of holiday for parents as the party seeks to avoid its worst showing ever in a national vote.

Discussions between the supporters and opponents of the idea of Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) are fierce but Finland has bitten the bullet and implemented the concept across the country in a new landmark pilot project. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Former prime minister Manuel Valls promised to avoid draconian public spending cuts in a pitch for traditional leftwing voters as he laid out his bid on Tuesday (3 January) to become the ruling Socialist Party's candidate in France's presidential election.

At the end of April, German Minister of Labour Andrea Nahles presented a bill that would lock out EU citizens from the country's welfare system. Die Linke’s Thomas Händel spoke with EURACTIV Germany about the issue.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday (6 January) she wanted talks to renegotiate the terms of Britain's membership of the European Union to produce a "reasonable package" that would keep Britain in the bloc.

The UK and Germany both want to see tighter controls on access to welfare for EU migrants, according to German MP Stephan Mayer, who was in London to step up the Christian Social Union's (CSU) campaign against so-called benefits tourism in Europe.

Public support for the European Union's freedom of movement rules will dwindle if welfare abuse is not tackled, a top EU official said on Thursday (5 March), saying Britain can drive change in the Europe Union by engaging more with other member states.

The German government tabled a final report on Wednesday (27 August) addressing "legal issues and challenges” related to social benefits claims by EU immigrants, with Bavarian conservatives welcoming the “correct approach” and Social Democrats shaking their heads at the new measure. EURACTIV Germany reports.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble warned on Tuesday (28 May) that failure to win the battle against youth unemployment could tear Europe apart, and dropping the continent's welfare model in favour of tougher US standards would spark a revolution.

Europe is better now than three years ago as the crisis has forced EU leaders towards further integration, Staffan Nilsson told EURACTIV at the end of his mandate as president of the European Economic and Social Committee.